Politics

The Week Ahead

By Sunlight Foundation & Participatory Politics Foundation

All eyes this week will be on the financial reform conference committee, which is scheduled to wrap up their negotiations by Thursday, and the Senate, which has been struggling for weeks to pass an unemployment insurance and tax extenders bill. The conference committee still has a couple of the most contentious issues facing it for debate this week, including Sen. Blanche Lincoln’s [D, AR] “no bailouts for derivatives” language and Sen. Dick Durbin’s [D, IL] amendment to give the Federal Reserve regulatory authority over debit card swap fees. In the full Senate, Democrats will be searching for some sort of solution to the stalled unemployment bill.

Meanwhile, here’s what will be happening in the House:

First Vote of the Week… Tuesday 6:00 p.m.
Last Vote Predicted… Friday p.m.

MONDAY, JUNE 21, 2010

On Monday, the House will meet at 11:00 a.m. in pro forma session.

TUESDAY, JUNE 22, 2010

On Tuesday, the House will meet at 12:30 p.m. for Morning Hour debate and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business with votes postponed until 6:00 p.m.

Suspensions (5 Bills)

1. H.Con.Res. 288 – Supporting National Men’s Health Week (Rep. Cummings – Oversight and Government Reform)
2. H.Res. 546 – Recognizing the historical significance of Juneteenth Independence Day, and expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that history should be regarded as a means for understanding the past and more effectively facing the challenges of the future (Rep. Davis (IL) – Oversight and Government Reform)
3. H.Res. 1369 – Recognizing the significance of National Caribbean-American Heritage Month (Rep. Lee (CA) – Oversight and Government Reform)
4. H.Res. 1407 – Supporting the goals and ideals of High-Performance Building Week (Rep. Biggert – Science and Technology)
5. H.Res. 1388 – Supporting the goals and ideals of National Hurricane Preparedness Week (Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart – Science and Technology)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 2010 AND THE BALANCE OF THE WEEK

On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for legislative business. On Friday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business.

Suspensions (12 Bills)

1. H.R. 5551 – To require the Secretary of the Treasury to make a certification when making purchases under the Small Business Lending Fund Program (Reps. Kosmas/Driehaus – Financial Services)
2. H.Res. 1434 – Recognizing National Homeownership Month and the importance of homeownership in the United States (Rep. Gary Miller – Financial Services)
3. S. 2865 – Congressional Award Program Reauthorization Act (Sen. Lieberman – Education and Labor)
4. H.Con.Res. 285 – Supporting the goals and ideals of designating 2010 as the Year of the Father (Rep. McMorris Rodgers – Education and Labor)
5. H.Res. 1034 – Expressing support for designation of July 2010 as “Braille Literacy Month” (Rep. Sarbanes – Education and Labor)
6. H.Res. 1373 – Expressing support for “National Physical Education and Sport Week” (Rep. Altmire – Education and Labor)
7. H.R. 795 – Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act (Rep. Towns – Education and Labor)
8. H.R. 3993 – Calling Card Consumer Protection Act (Rep. Engel – Energy and Commerce)
9. H.Res. 1359 – Calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit held captive by Hamas (Rep. Ackerman – Foreign Affairs)
10. H.Res. __ – Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the conclusion of the United States-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security and expressing appreciation to the Government of Japan and the Japanese people for enhancing peace, prosperity, and security in the Asia-Pacific region (Rep. Ros-Lehtinen – Foreign Affairs)
11. H.Res. __ – Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on the one-year anniversary of the Government of Iran's  manipulation of Iranian elections, on the Government of Iran's continued denial of human rights and democracy to the people of Iran, and on the Government of Iran's continued pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability (Rep. Costa – Foreign Affairs)
12. H.Res. 1350 – Recognizing June 20, 2010, as World Refugee Day (Rep. Watson – Foreign Affairs)

H.R. 5175 – DISCLOSE Act (Rep. Van Hollen – House Administration) (Subject to a Rule)

Possible Further Action on H.R. 4899 – Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2010 (Rep. Obey – Appropriations) (Subject to a Rule)

Possible Consideration of the Conference Report on H.R. 2194 – Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act (Rep. Berman – Foreign Affairs)

•  Conference Reports may be brought up at any time.
• Motions to go to Conference should they become available.
• Possible Motions to Instruct Conferees.

And here’s what we know so far about the Senate’s plans for the week:

Monday — Convenes: 2:00pm

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to a period of morning business until 5:15pm with senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each and with no motions in order.

At 5:15pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive session and debate concurrently until 6pm, with the time equally divided and controlled between Senators Leahy and Sessions or their designees.

At 6pm, the Senate will proceed to vote on confirmation of the following nominations:

- Calendar #777 Mark Goldsmith, of Michigan, to be US District Judge for the Easter District of Michigan;
- Marc Treadwell, of Georgia, to be US District Judge for the Middle District;
- Josephine Tucker, of California, to be US District Judge for the Central District of California.

There will be 2 minutes for debate equally divided and controlled prior to each vote. Each vote after the first vote will be limited to 10 minutes in duration.

Full post as published by Open Congress on June 22, 2010 (boomark / email).